True independence and freedom
can only exist in doing what’s right
Brigham Young
In America, we have a Declaration of
Independence, but our advancements,
our global strength all point to an
American declaration of
interdependence.
Cory Booker
With 4th of July tomorrow, I thought I’d change up my Monday post a bit with these quotes. We hear a lot lately about people being so adamant about their freedom and their individuality—all of which are important. But usually, they seem to come at the expense of everyone else. You didn’t get your freedom because of anything you did by yourself. You got it because of a collective of people who rose up and declared that liberty for all was more important than tyranny. The people of this country worked together to create that opportunity for you to be free.
Interdependence
Interdependence is the quality or condition of being mutually reliant on each other. Not one benefiting more than the other, but mutual.
Whether we agree with each other politically or not, we all need each other. Independence is great, but we depend on each other to get through each day. Even the person who declares that they are self-made actually has to depend on others. Either you work for someone who pays you or you have your own business in which case you have customers who pay you. In both cases, you’re not independent, you’re interdependent on the people in your life. Just as they are with you.
So for this Independence Day, I hope we all reflect a little on how our independence relies on our interdependence. Happy Fourth of July everyone. Be safe.
Absolutely agree with this. Narcissism, at all levels of life – political, corporate and personal, is destroying us all. Hope you have a lovely 4th of July celebrating interdependence along with independence. ???
Thanks, Gilly. This is a theme I see playing out in our relationship with my mother. She can remain independent in her own house because of her interdependence on us (and before us, her neighbors) to take care of her.
“We all need each other” I wish more people would think that way. I don’t live in America, but that’s a sentiment that should be worldwide.
Also, nice points on independence and interdependence. Hadn’t look at it that way.
Thanks for stopping by. I agree that the sentiment should be worldwide. In the US right now there are a lot of people who claim that they are “self-made” and that no one ever helped them to get where they are. But they are missing the point of interdependence and unless they are a hermit in a hole in the side of a mountain, they are relying on someone for something.